Hawkeyes Suspend Leading Scorer Tucker

By WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

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Iowa freshman Anthony Tucker, the team’s leading scorer, was suspended indefinitely by coach Todd Lickliter for a violation of team rules that was alcohol-related.

Tucker is the team’s leading scorer at 13.1 points per game. He had a game-high 24 points in an 87-68 loss to West Virginia on Nov. 28, including shooting 6-of-9 on three-pointers. He leads the team with 31 3-point field goals.

Freshman Matt Gatens is the only other Hawkeye averaging at least 10 points a game.

Sophomore Jake Kelly, normally the sixth man, will likely start in place of Tucker on Tuesday when the Hawkeyes (7-2) host Northern Iowa – bet on the game at WagerWeb.com. It’s the first of three straight intrastate games for Iowa.

“It is alcohol related and it is nothing beyond that,” Lickliter said. “It is an offense of curfew and under age. We want to make sure we’re on track on that. … (The suspension) is indefinite. Sometimes, circumstances appear to be the same, but they are different. You want to make good judgment.’’



Tucker was dealt the suspension late Sunday evening and will not practice or compete in games for the time being, Lickliter said.

“Eventually he will [practice],” he added.

Tucker’s average had risen to more than 17 points a game after that season-high 24 against West Virginia at the Las Vegas Invitational. But he struggled in a two-point win against Kansas State, scoring only three points on 1-of-11 shooting. An illness limited Tucker to playing just eight minutes in Iowa’s road loss to Boston College last week, but he returned to play 23 minutes (but didn’t start) and score 12 points in the Hawkeyes’ 61-36 victory over Bryant on Dec. 5.

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